South-east regional jobs strategy
Deputy Cullinane seeks renewed priority for the south-east because of persistently high unemployment; the Taoiseach acknowledges regional disparities and points to forthcoming questions to the Jobs Minister.
On the Order of Business a number of weeks ago, I asked the Taoiseach about the status of the Action Plan for Jobs for the south east and whether it was the intention of the Government to re-evaluate that plan. Since then we have had the publication of the CSO quarterly household survey, which shows that unemployment in the south east is still dangerously high at 12.5%. It is double that of our capital city of Dublin and even more than double the mid-east figures. There was also-----
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-----an independent report published by Waterford Institute of Technology which shows again the neglect of the south-east region. Is it the intention of the Government to re-evaluate the regional jobs strategies? Given the very high levels of unemployment in the south east, will the Taoiseach commit to giving the south east a higher priority?
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While unemployment has dropped from 15.2% to 7.8%, it is still too high and there are regional disparities. One of the areas of concentration over the last period has been on the south east, as the Deputy is aware. I understand that there are priority questions to the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation today which will deal with that.